IAC presents technology for seed potato production

The Agronomic Institute (IAC), of the Agribusiness Research Directorate (Apta), an agency linked to the Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply of the State of São Paulo, will hold the 9th Potato Virus Workshop & IAC Sprout/Seed Potato Technology. The event will take place on August 11th and 12th in the municipality of Presidente Castelo Branco (PR).

During the program, scientific researcher José Caram de Souza Dias, from the IAC Plant Health Center, will present and demonstrate the IAC Sprout/Seed Potato Technology, an innovation developed by the Institute that increases the efficiency of seed potato production by utilizing healthy sprouts from tubers.

Technology allows for the transformation of sprouts that would normally be discarded into high-quality propagating material, enabling the production of minitubers with genetic and sanitary fidelity to the mother tuber. This technique contributes to increasing the supply of seed potatoes, reducing losses, and strengthening the sustainability and competitiveness of the production chain.

According to scientific researcher José Caram de Souza Dias, the technology is being brought to Northern Paraná as an alternative to expand national production and encourage a new agricultural activity in the region. "We are implementing and evaluating potato farming in a region where this crop is not yet part of the reality for many farmers. Our objective is to demonstrate, evaluate, and transfer the IAC Sprout/Seed Potato Technology to small, medium, and family farmers who wish to incorporate potato production as a new source of income, focusing on a sustainable system and even organic production."

Caram explains that the innovation utilizes a material that would traditionally be discarded during the preparation of seed potatoes for planting. "The vigorous sprouts from imported tubers of high sanitary quality are normally removed or detach before planting and end up being discarded. With the technology developed by IAC, they are now used as propagation material, practically without additional cost, producing minitubers with high genetic and sanitary fidelity in relation to the mother tuber. We are changing the fate of these thousands of sprouts: from disposal to use as a new source of seed potatoes."

Demonstration materials

In addition to the technical presentation, IAC will bring demonstration materials of the technology to the workshop, including sprouted tubers, sprouts intended for planting, and minitubers produced using the IAC method, allowing participants to learn about the different stages of the production process in practice.

"The IAC-Broto/Potato-semente technology will be demonstrated during the workshop regarding its practical and economic viability in supplying propagation material. We will show how thousands of sprouts that were previously considered waste can be transformed into seed potatoes, contributing to expanding national production, reducing waste, and strengthening the sustainability of the production chain," Caram emphasizes.

The program will also address topics such as the importance of viruses in potato farming, forms of dissemination, disease recognition and control, as well as the challenges related to Brazil's dependence on imported seed potatoes and technological alternatives to expand national production.

The workshop will bring together family farmers, graduate students, technical assistance professionals, rural extension workers, researchers, and representatives from the private sector, promoting the dissemination of technologies aimed at food security, strengthening potato production, and innovation in the agricultural sector.

Plant health defense

During the event, the researcher will also present the project “IAC Planting Potatoes with Science,” an initiative focused on education in plant health defense. "The project teaches elementary school students about the importance of plant health and preventing the introduction of viruses into agriculture. We want to raise awareness among new generations that seeds, seedlings, and other propagation materials should only be planted after phytosanitary evaluation, contributing to protecting agricultural production, the environment, and the security of Brazilian agribusiness," he states.

The event is aimed at producers, students, extension workers and those interested in IAC Broto/Batata-semente technology. Those interested should contact us by phone: (19) 99522-9669 or email: jose.dias@sp.gov.br.